Gluten Free Tips

The only real test for Celiac Disease is a elimination diet.

Celiac Disease:
What is celiac disease?
Celiac disease is an immune system disorder that results in damage to the lining of the small intestine when foods with gluten are eaten. Glutens are a form of protein found in some grains-notably wheat, barley, and rye. The damage to the intestine makes it hard for the body to absorb nutrients, especially fat, calcium, iron, and folate. Celiac disease also may be called celiac sprue, gluten-sensitive enteropathy, or nontropical sprue.

What causes celiac disease?
The exact cause of celiac disease is not known, but inheriting or developing certain genes increases your susceptibility. You are more likely to have these genes and get celiac disease if you have a first-degree relative (mother, father, brother, sister, son, or daughter) with the condition. In some genetically predisposed people, environmental factors, possibly viral or bacterial infections, may cause changes in the small intestine; then, eating gluten can trigger an abnormal or irregular immune system response, resulting in celiac disease.

Autoimmune Hepatitis:
Autoimmune hepatitis triggers the body to attack its liver cells, as if the liver cells were harmful foreign bodies. Patients with a combination of HCV and autoimmune hepatitis generally suffer from more debilitating symptoms than patients with HCV alone. Autoimmune hepatitis is associated with other autoimmune illnesses, including thyroiditis (inflammation of the thyroid), diabetes mellitus, and ulcerative colitis (inflammation of the intestines). Although only a few patients with HCV develop autoimmune hepatitis, these patients appear to have a genetic predisposition that makes them more likely to develop autoimmune hepatitis, compared to HCV-infected individuals without that predisposition.

Below are some frequently asked questions about the complex relationship between HCV and autoimmune hepatitis.

Q. What are the Symptoms of Autoimmune Hepatitis?
A. The most common symptom is fatigue. Recurrent jaundice frequently develops in severe cases.

Extrahepatic features (those that involve organs and tissue other than the liver) result from the immune system harming] other organs of the body. These symptoms can include amenorrhea (absence of menstrual period), bloody diarrhea (due to ulcerative colitis), abdominal pain, arthritis, rashes, anemia, glomerulonephritis (a form of kidney disease), dry eyes, and dry mouth.

Symptoms of autoimmune hepatitis tend to develop slowly over a period of several weeks or months.

Q. What Causes These Symptoms?
A. When the immune system becomes activated, as in the case of an autoimmune disease, there is increased production of inflammatory cells (T-cells), antibodies, and other inflammatory mediators (chemicals). The overactivated immune system can lead to systemic symptoms of fatigue and low grade fever. Some of the extrahepatic symptoms, such as glomerulonephritis and arthritis, are due to deposits of antibodies that accumulate in the kidney or joints, leading to damage in those tissues.

This should give you some details that may help you understand the difference.

Hi Im Chris, Both diseases are autoimmune diseases. in autoimmune diseases the bodys own cells become overactive and start attacking either one part of the body (as is the case pretty much in these, with autoimmune hepatitis it is the liver, in Celiac it is an intolarance to foods that are strachy, sugared, etc). In other disease like Lupus, MS, and others they are more widespread and attack the entire body or more bodily functions or systems.

I personally have Lupus, Sjgrens and Autoimmune Hepatitis.
I Know a little about Celiac disease so I did some research, so I will let you know about how they diagnose that first.

Celiac disease is a digestive disease that damages the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food. People who have celiac disease cannot tolerate a protein called gluten, found in wheat, rye, and barley. Gluten is found mainly in foods but may also be found in products we use every day, such as stamp and envelope adhesive, medicines, and vitamins. to diagnose it they do several things.

How is celiac disease diagnosed?
Recognizing celiac disease can be difficult because some of its symptoms are similar to those of other diseases. In fact, sometimes celiac disease is confused with irritable bowel syndrome, iron-deficiency anemia caused by menstrual blood loss, Crohn’s disease, diverticulitis, intestinal infections, and chronic fatigue syndrome. As a result, celiac disease is commonly underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed.

Recently, researchers discovered that people with celiac disease have higher than normal levels of certain autoantibodies in their blood. Antibodies are protective proteins produced by the immune system in response to substances that the body perceives to be threatening. Autoantibodies are proteins that react against the body’s own molecules or tissues. To diagnose celiac disease, physicians will usually test blood to measure levels of

Immunoglobulin A (IgA)
anti-tissue transglutaminase (tTGA)
IgA anti-endomysium antibodies (AEA)
Before being tested, one should continue to eat a regular diet that includes foods with gluten, such as breads and pastas. If a person stops eating foods with gluten before being tested, the results may be negative for celiac disease even if celiac disease is actually present.

If the tests and symptoms suggest celiac disease, the doctor will perform a small bowel biopsy. During the biopsy, the doctor removes a tiny piece of tissue from the small intestine to check for damage to the villi. To obtain the tissue sample, the doctor eases a long, thin tube called an endoscope through the mouth and stomach into the small intestine. Using instruments passed through the endoscope, the doctor then takes the sample.

What is the treatment?
The only treatment for celiac disease is to follow a gluten-free diet. When a person is first diagnosed with celiac disease, the doctor usually will ask the person to work with a dietitian on a gluten-free diet plan. A dietitian is a health care professional who specializes in food and nutrition. Someone with celiac disease can learn from a dietitian how to read ingredient lists and identify foods that contain gluten in order to make informed decisions at the grocery store and when eating out.

For most people, following this diet will stop symptoms, heal existing intestinal damage, and prevent further damage. Improvements begin within days of starting the diet. The small intestine is usually completely healed in 3 to 6 months in children and younger adults and within 2 years for older adults. Healed means a person now has villi that can absorb nutrients from food into the bloodstream.

In order to stay well, people with celiac disease must avoid gluten for the rest of their lives. Eating any gluten, no matter how small an amount, can damage the small intestine. The damage will occur in anyone with the disease, including people without noticeable symptoms. Depending on a person’s age at diagnosis, some problems will not improve, such as delayed growth and tooth discoloration.

OK That is the Symptoms, diagnosis and treatment after the diagnosis. Onto The autoimmune Hepatitis, I will use personal experience and some information from a website.

Autoimmune Hepatitis has nothing to do with Hepatitis A, B, or C. It is not contagious in any way shape or form. It can stand alone as it’s own autoimmune disease or can be triggered by another. Usually either Sjogren’s or Lupus (SLE). Usually Sjogren’s. It can also be called Lupoid Hepatitis.

The symptoms most common are an extended painful upper abdomen, jaundice, Enlarged Liver, Itchiness, Fatigue, joint pain, skin rashes, nausea, vomiting, loss of appitite, dark urine, pale or grey stools.

I remeber looking 5 months pregnant though I didnt eat.

There are several steps of testing. First are abnormal basic Liver function tests AST, ALT, Billirubin, Sometimes a Positive ANA (Antinuclear Antibody, also found in other autoimmunes like Lupus, sjogrens, and others), a positive Anti-Smooth Muscle Test Or its inititls (sp) SMA. The pattern and level of these test help distinquish which disease may be going on. In addition you more than likely will have a liver biopsy. I had one. I had no problems. I had it, woke up was on side, and wanted to leave.. they wanted me to stay. I stayed for awhile. But not all people wake up as well as I do from surgery. I was a bit sore.

Right now there are two mainstream treatments, I do not use either one, both do not work on me. Those treatments are Prednison (a class of medical steroids), and Imuran (an Immunosuppresent, used for transplant paitents, and other sutoimmune diseases). In the last several years, They have found that the medication first used for gallstones and galbladder disease called Actigall is very effective along with the natural herb Milk Thisle. Those are what my Rhuemotologists use on me. She swears by both. I was getting very close to a transplant list. I did need some IV chemo, but with that and those two other therapies I am in total remisson. In fact with proper care 7 out of 10 paitents will go into remisson. Many may still have mild attacks, mine come and go.

Both disease are not desirable. No autoimmune disease is, but with proper care and following your doctors orders both can be controlled. I do co-own an autoimmune support group, we do a lot of Lupus, but we are a mixed bag of everything, mainly females but male and female.

Good luck
Any questions email me at
Im good for the autoimmune Hepatitis